IDC: Netbooks Fuel European PC Market

The US market researcher IDC has recorded an increase of 1.8% in European PC sales for the last quarter of 2008. A weak rise compared to 2007.

Having enjoyed regular two figure growth in the past, the IDC sees the EMEA region split in two, with Western Europe providing acceptable figures while results in the east, Russia and the Ukraine in particular, proved disappointing.

A strong demand for portable devices, especially during the Christmas period, had a positive influence on overall sales, although desktops suffered under the continuing cannibalisation-effect of portables. IDC sees continued growth for the netbook market in 2009, while sales of PCs and notebooks expected to hover at current levels. One reason for this is the hesitant company invest ion as a reaction to the credit crisis.

Manufacturer HP extended its market lead in the third quarter, with a growth of 13% compared to the year before, with Acer next, followed by Dell and Asus. Netbook inventor Asus saw its sales, also thanks to netbooks, grow by 79%. With a plus of 0.4%, Dell seem to be running on the spot and Toshiba's rise of 42% landed them in fifth place.

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International Data Corporation (IDC) has analyzed PC sales figures for EMEA in the third quarter of 2008 and discovered that netbooks are responsible for more than half the nearly 30% sales growth. Linux is to ride along on the wave, which is to remain at its current level.